Jan Popiel

Jan Popiel
Born (1947-10-09) October 9, 1947
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Left wing
Played for Chicago Cougars
Denver Spurs
Houston Aeros
Phoenix Roadrunners
NHL draft 10th overall, 1964
Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career 1968–1977

Jan Popiel (born October 9, 1947) is a Danish-Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 296 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Chicago Cougars, Denver Spurs, Houston Aeros and Phoenix Roadrunners. He is the younger brother of former NHL player Poul Popiel.

Popiel was drafted 10th overall in the 1964 NHL entry draft by the Chicago Black Hawks making him the highest drafted Danish-born player in NHL history until Mikkel Bødker was drafted in 2008 as number 8. Popiel, however, was raised in Canada (his family moved to St. Catharines, Ontario in 1951 when he was a child [1]) and is a Canadian citizen.[2] Popiel featured in the Avco World Trophy final with the Cougars in the 1974 WHA playoffs and the Aeros in the 1976 WHA playoffs, both resulting in losses.

Popiel also played professional lacrosse, scoring five goals in six games for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Lacrosse Association of 1968.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1966–67 St. Catharines Black Hawks OHA 40520 2546 —————
1968–69 Salem Rebels EHL 4911294064 —————
1969–70 Greensboro Generals EHL 7432376998 16881635
1970–71 Tulsa Oilers CHL 6722264883 —————
1971–72 Tulsa Oilers CHL 63243761109 13671317
1972–73 Chicago Cougars WHA 7631346577 —————
1973–74 Chicago Cougars WHA 6322173936 18851312
1974–75 Chicago Cougars WHA 6018224074 —————
1975–76 Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics WHA 20002 —————
1975–76 Houston Aeros WHA 67471159 81124
1976–77 Phoenix Roadrunners WHA 283258 —————
1976–77 Oklahoma City Blazers CHL 3223163933 —————
WHA totals 2967882160256 26961516

References